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Thales selects AceAxis radio to power in-flight broadband
[July 21, 2016]

Thales selects AceAxis radio to power in-flight broadband


AceAxis, a leading developer of wireless technology, today announced that it has signed a development and manufacturing agreement with Thales (News - Alert), under which it will adapt its remote radio head (RRH) design for use in a system providing broadband Internet connectivity to passengers on board commercial aircraft.

The AceAxis RRH will be a key component in the new Complementary Ground Component (CGC) terminal, which Thales is developing and manufacturing for use with Inmarsat's (News - Alert) European Aviation Network (EAN) high-speed in-flight connectivity solution. EAN is the first system to integrate an LTE-based ground network with satellite communications to provide aviation passenger connectivity.

"AceAxis is a leader in RRH technology, and was an obvious choice to provide this key component of our new system. The CGC terminal we are developing will be fitted nto aircraft to provide a crucial link with the LTE (News - Alert)-based ground network, and the system will switch automatically between satellite and terrestrial connectivity to provide a seamlessly optimised broadband service to passengers, wherever they are flying within Europe." said David Williams, Procurement Director, Avionics, Thales.



"Our RRH platform has proven performance and reliability in LTE networks around the world," said Steve Cooper, CEO of AceAxis. "Our established radio development platform strategy enables AceAxis to rapidly create new products to exacting standards using industry proven designs. This was a significant factor for Thales in selecting Ace Axis (News - Alert) to supply such a critical part of their ecosystem for this advanced system."

The European Aviation Network is expected to enter service during 2017, following completion of development work and system trials.


AceAxis creates IPR and technology to build, test and analyse the telecoms networks of the future. We were pioneers in the development of remote radio head (RRH) and embedded test and measurement technology for the telecoms market. Today we are focused on new approaches to telecoms equipment, working with operators, infrastructure vendors and a variety of new customers to create innovative solutions for a range of applications, including 4G and 5G, the IoT, airborne telephony, smart vehicles, healthcare, and public safety communications. Our vision is to deliver 21st century communications technology by challenging the traditional constraints of cost and complexity.


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